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VERY LATE JOSEPH MANTON & SONS 16 BORE

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
VERY LATE JOSEPH MANTON & SONS 16 BORE

PERCUSSION DOUBLE SHOTGUN W/ MAHOGANY CASE W/ OWNERS BOOKPLATE IN LID "THE REVEREND E. C. ALSTON."
Cal. 16 Ga. S# 10514. Bbl. 30". The famed Joseph Manton, despite his genius for fine gunmaking, was always in debt. After his release from debtor's prison in 1831, he & his son started gunmaking again at 6 Holles St. in London & business continued there after Joseph's death (in 1835) for another few years. It appears this gun was made around 1837 & incorporates many features found in Joseph Manton's later guns. The 30" laminated steel bbls. have a heavy reinforced breech section which ends about 21 1/2" from muzzles. Top rib is engraved "Joseph Manton & Son" & w/ Holles St. address. Bottoms of bbls. are stamped with London black powder proofs for 16 bore, S#s & bbl. makers initals "TE" (Thomas Evans). An ebony ramrod w/ brass head & tail (worm under tail) is held by two plain pipes. Patent breeches w/ scroll engraving on rib extension have vented platinum plugs. Case hardened breech iron is nicely engraved w/ shaded scroll. Locks w/ rounded tails are fitted w/ flatfaced serpentine hammers. Locks & hammers are engraved w/ very well cut open scroll. "Joseph Manton & Son" is on each lockplate. Trigger plate has stylized pineapple finial w/ pineapple engraving matching thimble. Trigger guard w/ open scroll on bow has S# on tang. Stock is of nicely fiddle figured light colored European walnut & measures 14 3/8" over steel buttplate w/ long scroll engraved top tang. Flat top point pattern checkering w/ mullered borders is at grip & a vacant truncated rectangular silver crest plate is at top of grip. Stock attaches to bbls. w/ captive sidebolt through oval silver escutcheons. MEASUREMENTS: BARRELS: Bore diameter: R 674 L 672. Min. Wall Thickness: R .040 L .042. STOCK: LOP: 14 3/8". DAC: 1 7/16". DAH: 1 9/16". Cast: Neutral. WEIGHT: 7 lbs. 11 oz. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: gun is housed in what is possibly its original figured mahogany case w/ central brass medallion on lid & dual sliding bolt closure. Case is lined in green cloth, original label has been removed & replaced by bookplate of Reverend E. C. Alston, possibly "The Fishing Vicar" who died in 1977, but most likely another Reverend E. C. Alston who died in 1871. Case contains a wad punch, leather shot flask, copper bodied powder flask by James Dixon & some cleaning equipment. CONDITION: very good to fine, original "as found". Bbls. retaining most of their original brown w/ good definition to pattern w/ some scattered marks & a few stains. Locks & breech iron retain most of their original case hardening color quite strong, where protected. Trigger guard retains 30-40% original blue w/ many areas of flaking & browning. Buttplate has about the same amount of blue, also browned & flaked. Stock retains most of its original varnish finish, grain somewhat raised & open w/ numerous marks & scratches, checkering lightly worn. Bores are fine, shiny w/ some scattered pitting. Locks are very fine. Case retains what appears to be a very old refinish, possibly original w/ subsequent marks & scratches. There are some small repairs to rear section of lid at left. Interior cloth is fair to good, considerably faded w/ many rubs & marks. Label lightly foxed w/ compressions. Partitions are good w/ some repairs, accessories are fair to good, flask fine but missing thumb lever & nozzle. A "best" quality, undoubtedly shootable specimen by London's most famous early 19th century gun maker whose tomb is partially inscribed "The greatest artist in firearms ever the world produced". (01-18138/MGM24). ANTIQUE. $3,000-6,000.